Zaragoza, 22 October 2015. The executive vice-president of Fundación Telefónica, Emilio Gilolmo, the president of the Santa María La Real Foundation, José María Pérez ‘Peridis’, and the Minister of Economy, Industry and Employment of the Government of Aragon, Marta Gastón Menal, met this morning at the Etopia Centre of Art and Technology to take stock of Aragon’s Job Launch programme at an event closed by Javier Lambán, the president of the Government of Aragon. During the meeting it emerged that the programme has been highly effective, with an average job placement rate of 70%.

The Job Launch Scheme of Aragon is currently being rolled out in Calatayud, Zaragoza and Huesca, and the job placement rates are 74%, 73% and 62% respectively. The second phase of the programme started in July with the participation of 69 youngsters, thus benefiting more than 120 people in 2015, and comfortably exceeding the national job placement rate of 50%.

The seminar was also attended by the Paralympic swimmer and ambassador for Fundación Telefónica, Teresa Perales, a shining example of strength and motivation for all the youngsters on the programme, who revealed the activities they are engaged in during this second phase of the programme to boost their search for a job by making them more professional, visible and efficient.

What is the Job Launch scheme all about?

The Job Launch scheme seeks to change the passive behaviour traditionally associated with unemployed people and galvanize them into action, to working as a committed and proactive team. To achieve this shift in focus in their working methodology, coaching techniques are used, with a coach who acts as the team motivator, even though the unemployed people themselves are true protagonists of their employment processes. By building a team in a climate of confidence and mutual support, they work on emotional intelligence, communication and creativity to improve their employability from an active, committed and supportive position.

The ‘Everyone Included’ programme includes the Youth Employability Programme of Fundación Telefónica, in collaboration with the Tomillo Foundation, Compañía de Jesús and the Santa María la Real Foundation. This is a pioneering initiative from which 5,100 young Spanish people will benefit, and places a particular emphasis on occupational training.

The Youth Employability Programme offers 500 occupational training grants to young people who have difficulty paying for these kinds of courses; 500 internship opportunities in technology companies for those who already have intermediate-level occupational training but need more specialisation; 55 job launch and coaching schemes for unemployed people who need to refresh their skills to get back into the job market, and entrepreneurial experiences through the Think Big project, with the assistance of mentors, for young people who want to bring their ideas to fruition.

Through this initiative, Fundación Telefónica subscribes to the Young Entrepreneurship and Employment Strategy established by the Ministry of Employment and Social Security.